LIVE BLOG: Punahou 38, Kamehameha 12, Final

The No. 1 ranked Punahou Buffanblu are the last undefeated Oahu team remaining. Can Punahou win its third straight ILH Division I title, becoming the first team to do so since Saint Louis’ reign ended in 2003? Punahou won the first meeting, 24-0. Can Kamehameha make it a game this time around?

7:28 p.m.: Both teams are on the field warming up. Senior RB Brandon Kahookele is not suited up for Kamehameha. Junior DL Canton Kaumatule is warming up and expected to play for Punahou.

7:50 p.m.: Punahou three-and-out on first drive as Wayne Taulapapa runs twice for two years and Larry Tuileta missed Kanawai Noa 1-on-1 deep.

7:51 p.m.: Kamehameha tries to go deep on first play and gets a defensive PI call. Simao runs twice for a yard and an incomplete pass forces Kamehameha to punt.

8:01 p.m.: Kamehameha loads up on the run so Tuileta goes deep. 39-yard TD strike to Kanawai Noa, who already has four catches for 71 yards. 7-0 Punahou, 6:02, Q1

8:05 p.m.: Kaumatule makes an appearance with a tackle for a 6-yard loss on Simao, who has five carries for 3 yards. Two three-and-outs for Kamehameha.

8:14 p.m.: Obviously, you don’t have a lot of options playing Punahou, but surprising to see how the Kamehameha secondary is playing Tuileta. Third-and-17 and they brings the corners up after they played back on a couple of third-and-10s. Morris with a 43-yard reception over the middle sets up a 2-yard run by Taulapapa to make it 14-0 with 49 seconds left in the first quarter.

8:17 p.m.: Only bad news so far. Kaumatule is limping. Keeps looking at his right leg. Buffanblu up 14-0 at the end of the first. Kaumatule is still out there. Zero first downs for the Warriors.

8:24 p.m.: Punahou punter Alexander Trifonovitch fumbles the punt snap and is then blasted by Gavin Panui. Caleb Chow recovers the fumble in the end zone for a Kamehameha TD. 14-7, 9:45, Q2.

8:29 p.m.: Warriors force another three-and-out. They make Tuileta scramble outside and he can’t hit the open receiver for a first down.

8:30 p.m.: Punahou snaps the ball over the punter’s head and out of the end zone for a safety. Unbelievable.

8:32 p.m.: Dylan Kane with a 43-yard return on the kickoff and Kamehameha has it on the Punahou 36. Sua-Godinet’s first completion is 8 yards to Simao to make it fourth-and-1 at the 27. Kamehameha tries to draw Punahou offsides but calls timeout. Sua-Godinet sneaks it up the middle for 3 yards and a first down. A Simao run takes it to the 13. Kamehameha has fourth-and-3 at the 6 and Tyler Fitzsimmons boots a 24-yard field goal to make it 14-12 with 4:55 left in first half.

8:44 p.m.: Chad Farias recovers a fumble on the kickoff and Kamehameha again has it in Punahou territory. Nightmare second quarter for the Buffanblu special teams. Kamehameha can’t do anything with it as Sua-Godinet is sacked on third down by Rodney Lakalaka.

8:53 p.m.: Tuileta is 4-for-6 for 56 yards on the drive, hitting tight end Dakota Torres for pass plays of 30 and 8 yards. Punahou with a fourth-and-2 on the Kamehameha 24 with 1:07 left. They line up to go for it but call timeout. Kamehameha looks content playing Noa 1-on-1 on the outside with no help. I think I’d take my shot here. Punahou back out to go for it again. They run it with Taulapapa. Chad Souza tackles him right at the marker. They measure. First down Punahou.

8:57 p.m.: Punahou tries an option pitch to Luke Morris who then misses Dakota Torres in the end zone. Morris had to hurry the throw as he got crunched. On third-and-10, Taulapapa motions out right, catches quick pass from Tuileta, breaks two tackles, and scores on a 22-yard TD reception.

9:20 p.m.: Three-and-out by Kamehameha on its opening drive, including two runs for negative yards.

9:28 p.m.: Punahou drives down to the 12 and converts a fourth-and-2 on a Tuileta pass to Morris working the slot for 4 yards. Kamehameha holds and Charles McDonald kicks a 24-yard field goal to make it 24-12 with 7:46, Q3.

9:41 p.m.: Tuileta completes 6-of-7 passing for 92 yards on a seven-play drive, all throws. 25 yards to Taulapapa to make it 31-12 with 4:53 left in third quarter.

9:47 p.m.: Kamehameha has fourth-and-1 at the Punahou 45 and tries a QB sneak but Punahou stuffs it.

9:48 p.m.: Tuileta underthrows Noa or it would have been a 54-yard TD pass.

9:56 p.m.: Fourth-and-51 for Punahou. I’m guessing they punt.

Gotta start writing for deadline. Will try to keep updated…

Tuileta throws his fourth TD pass of the game, a 17-yarder to Kotoni Sekona to make it 38-12. Tuileta with a season-high 394 passing yards and four TDs.

Humble pie, every now and then, cleanses the soul. Savor it with grace KAM(ehameha) Warriors nation.

Next time, before labeling other teams and/or their fans as being cheaters, undisciplined, not good enough, etc. and/or excuse-makers, crybabies, in-fighters, etc., please reconcile your privileged attitude (perhaps facilitated by your affiliation with the political, economical, and educational juggernaut that is KSBE, contradiction between KS’s hiring practices [discriminatory!?] vs. admission policies [non-discriminatory?] based on [non] hawaiian ethnicity, and/or participation in the struggle for federal recognition – a united front would prove adaptive).

Arrogance and showboating appeared to characterize your football team this year unlike the honorable teams/coaches of your glorious football past. In addition, I witnessed your band jeering the opposing team’s band/parents while riding in their KS bus through the Aloha Stadium’s parking lot.

Being humble is virtuous. Pay it forward, KAM; akin to the reverence/meaning attributed to your invocation of “Imua!”

(PH or BH, please edit/delete as you deem necessary. Pardon, just had to state this. Thanks for your insightful coverage and hard work)

Great to see Punahou get better and better as the season progressed. Kamehameha has been through so much adversity this year. Late season start (June), new coaching staff, multiple injuries, change in coaching staff…etc, etc. Hence, I applaud the Warriors for ending their season with true grit, class and grace. (It was awesome to see the players at the end of this game hugging each other in brotherhood….all the way to their buses.) Not much more can we ask of the #1 and #2 ILH teams! Congratulations, well done…Buff ‘n Blue and Warriors, well done. You make us proud.

By participating in online discussions you acknowledge that you have agreed to the Star-Advertiser's TERMS OF SERVICE. An insightful discussion of ideas and viewpoints is encouraged, but comments must be civil and in good taste, with no personal attacks. If your comments are inappropriate, you may be banned from posting. To report comments that you believe do not follow our guidelines, email hawaiiwarriorworld@staradvertiser.com.